humility
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of humility
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English humilite, from Latin humilitās; see humble, -ty 2
Compare meaning
How does humility compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Humility is the quality of being humble. If you meet one of your heroes and feel nervous and in awe of her, you are experiencing humility. Humility comes from the Latin word humilis, which literally means "low." If you feel humility in front of someone, you feel small in the scheme of things — that you are just a simple, insignificant person. Someone who spends his life taking care of others shows humility. Although it's related to humiliation (which makes you feel low in a bad way), humility is usually used to talk about a lack of ego.
Vocabulary lists containing humility
Tuesdays with Morrie
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The Old Man and the Sea
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Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I am returning to my White House vigil in all humility, asking the same questions as before — “What is Islam?” and “What is Terrorism?” — but without offering definitive answers.
From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026
Intellectual humility is the ability to recognize the edge of your own knowledge and sit with that discomfort rather than trying to rush to fill it.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
“I’ve always known it, but I also have humility about it. It allows me to try different things. It allows me to fail. It allows me to step into a ‘Man on Fire.’
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
The ideas of the 4th Century North African theologian, such as community and humility, have helped shape the current leader of the Catholic Church.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
“It is not that,” I said, touched by his humility.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
